Kidza Kids: Du-Jay and Sagezilla have loved Kidza from the start. Here they are as 3 & 5 year olds in 06. They've been to every day of every one!

Kidzapalooza's comin' to town! We're starting our count down with ChiIL Mama's original interview with Keller Williams. He's an accomplished and well loved musician with 16 albums to his credit, but he's new to the kindie rock world. It was a natural extension for this devoted dad of two, to write a kids CD, aptly named, Kids.

If you haven't heard of Keller or heard Keller LIVE, you are in for a treat. Catch him on the Kids Stage this Sunday at 2:30, right before Peter DiStefano & Tor, then Perry Farrell. (As usual, parents accompanied by kids 10 and under get the rock star treatment with VIP space at the front of the grass, inside the gates.)

Here's ChiIL Mama's LIVE concert clip where Keller explains his unique style. We have loads more fun footage from Park West, the last time Keller came through Chi-Town and ChiIL Mama's got some great Keller photo pit shots from Summer Camp Music Festival coming soon. Keller Williams rocked Summer Camp Music Festival. We loved his Grateful Dead and Morphine covers! Hear and/or download Keller's whole Park West Kids and Adult show sets HERE while you check out ChiIL Mama's stills from Park West. You can also hear Keller's whole Summer Camp setHERE.

Keller's Kids Show at Park West, Chicago

Check out Keller's Kids Website for more videos, photos, goat cam, tour dates, merch and more! We can't wait to see what he breaks out for Kidza #7.

Next, we have an old favorite that has been an integral part of every Kidzapalooza for the last 6 years--drums! Jon Yost and Rhythm Revolution will be there again, rockin' Kidza. Ken Crampton and Everybody Drumopened for Keller Williams Kids Shows when he toured earlier this year, and we saw Jon Yost there keepin' the beat with his kid, so it's a natural pairing. Check out Keller's opener at Park West, Chicago below.

Remo always gives away loads of kids drums and percussion instruments at Kidza every year, so enter the free lottery and be there when the kids' area closes each day for your chance to win.

How many drums have your kids broken so far? We've gone through a rubber topped pseudo-Native American drum, a wooden drum that got recalled for lead paint and several giant plastic drums filled with percussion toys. Our cheap maracas cracked and spilled their plastic beans everywhere. And those instruments sounded terrible when they were new.

However, all the Remo drums we've ever bought are still in great shape and hold a prominent place in our hearts and in our living room. Over the years, our kids have accumulated an assortment of Remo bongos, toms, conga drums, shakers, tambourines and even lollipop drums on a stick that are spiraled like a huge sucker. At 8 & 10, the kids still haven't outgrown them. Instead, these instruments have grown with the children.

Especially during those early years, when drums sometimes accidentally double as seats or stairs, kids are really rough on drum heads. But just because it's for the kids and not the pros, Remo doesn't cheap out on the materials. Remo uses REAL drum head on their kids' drums. So they last REALLY long and they sound REALLY great.

Every year we look forward to the Remo drum circle at Kidzapalooza. Everyone who wants to, gets to play. And the pressure's off in a group. There's such a loud lot of drumming going on that nobody will hear or care if you screw up. There's safety in numbers.

There's also a mightiness and energy to group drumming--to individuals coming together to make a big noise together. And John Yost is the master maestro who helps to make control out of chaos. He directs and channels the energy so everyone gets a turn to play. And he gives the rhythms focus, so people get out of their head and their self consciousness and into a follow the leader game.

In 2010, the drum circle became a longer running part of the Kidzapalooza day, instead of just happening at the end. It's a positive change and hopefully a new tradition.

Drumming is great for kids' development and parents might just find themselves jumping in and wailing away, too. Drumming is also a great stress release. If we can walk together, why can't we rock together. If you haven't tried it yet, a drum circle is fun family together time. We'll be practicing up on our Remo drums this winter. Look out Kidza 2011. We're gonna kick out the jams.

ChiIL Mama's featuring a daily COUNT DOWN TO KIDZA so check in like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!

****Live vicariously through a long haired Chicago boy and his feisty little sister****

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Catch your favorite "Kindie Bands" at street fests and events all over the Chicago region. We'll see you back at Beat Kitchen in the fall. ChiIL Mama's the proud press sponsor for 6 seasons in a row now. Shows are all ages but aimed at birth - age 8 with parents.

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ChiIL Travel Kids will archive all of our travel related posts. We will feature family friendly, quirky, eco-friendly, off the beaten path destinations around the US and around the world.

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